scholarly journals Success in conserving the bird diversity in tropical forests through private protected areas in Western Ecuador

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-367
Author(s):  
José Guerrero-Casado ◽  
José Manuel Seoane ◽  
Nikolay Aguirre ◽  
Jeronimo Torres-Porras
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Tropical Forests ◽  
National Level ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Specific Region ◽  
The State ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Bird Conservation ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Private Protected Areas

Private protected areas have recently attained more importance at a worldwide level as regards nature conservation. Particularly, the specific region of Western Ecuador receives hardly any protection from the State, and private reserves could, therefore, be a suitable tool to ensure the preservation of its forests and their associated wildlife biodiversity. In this work, we compare the bird species richness between private reserves and public protected areas (managed by the State) located in this region. We also show a checklist of bird species found in the Buenaventura Reserve, a private reserve located in south-western Ecuador. Our comparison shows that smaller private reserves may harbour a similar number of bird species than larger protected areas managed by the state, and they have a higher number of bird species per area. In particular, a total of 233 different bird species were registered in Buenaventura, which were distributed in 16 orders and 42 families. Three species were classified as endangered at an international level: El Oro Parakeet (Pyrrhura orcesi), El Oro Tapaculo (Scytalopus robbinsi), and the Grey-backed Hawk (Pseudastur occidentalis), and another three at a national level: the Long-wattled Umbrellabird (Cephalopterus penduliger), the Slaty-winged Foliage-gleaner (Philydor fuscipenne), and the White-vented Plumeleteer (Chalybura buffonii). Therefore, private reserves can be appreciated as a suitable conservation tool for bird conservation, and they should not be undervalued because of their smaller size. Buenaventura Reserve is a good example of how private reserves are extremely important in fragmented landscapes, as is the case with tropical forests in Western Ecuador.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of protected areas in conserving tropical forest birds

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Cazalis ◽  
Karine Princé ◽  
Jean-Baptiste Mihoub ◽  
Joseph Kelly ◽  
Stuart H.M. Butchart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Forest Birds ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Global Biodiversity ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

AbstractProtected areas are the cornerstones of global biodiversity conservation efforts1,2, but to fulfil this role they must be effective at conserving the ecosystems and species that occur within their boundaries. This is particularly imperative in tropical forest hotspots, regions that concentrate a major fraction of the world’s biodiversity while also being under intense human pressure3–5. But these areas strongly lack adequate monitoring datasets enabling to contrast biodiversity in protected areas with comparable unprotected sites6,7. Here we take advantage of the world’s largest citizen science biodiversity dataset – eBird8 – to quantify the extent to which protected areas in eight tropical forest biodiversity hotspots are effective at retaining bird diversity, and to understand the underlying mechanisms. We found generally positive effects of protection on the diversity of bird species that are forest-dependent, endemic to the hotspots, or threatened or Near Threatened, but not on overall bird species richness. Furthermore, we show that in most of the hotspots examined this is driven by protected areas preventing both forest loss and degradation. Our results support calls for increasing the extent and strengthening the management efforts within protected areas to reduce global biodiversity loss9–11.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of protected areas in conserving tropical forest birds

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Cazalis ◽  
Karine Princé ◽  
Jean-Baptiste Mihoub ◽  
Joseph Kelly ◽  
Stuart H. M. Butchart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Forest Birds ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Near Threatened

Abstract Protected areas (PAs) are the cornerstones of global biodiversity conservation efforts, but to fulfil this role they must be effective at conserving the ecosystems and species that occur within their boundaries. Adequate monitoring datasets that allow comparing biodiversity between protected and unprotected sites are lacking in tropical regions. Here we use the largest citizen science biodiversity dataset – eBird – to quantify the extent to which protected areas in eight tropical forest biodiversity hotspots are effective at retaining bird diversity. We find generally positive effects of protection on the diversity of bird species that are forest-dependent, endemic to the hotspots, or threatened or Near Threatened, but not on overall bird species richness. Furthermore, we show that in most of the hotspots examined this benefit is driven by protected areas preventing both forest loss and degradation. Our results provide evidence that, on average, protected areas contribute measurably to conserving bird species in some of the world’s most diverse and threatened terrestrial ecosystems.

scholarly journals Congruence between breeding and wintering biodiversity hotspots: A case study in farmlands of Western Poland

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-83
Author(s):  
Federico Morelli ◽  
Zbigniew Kwieciński ◽  
Piotr Indykiewicz ◽  
Łukasz Jankowiak ◽  
Paweł Szymański ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Community ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Complete Representation ◽  
Evolutionary Distinctiveness

Abstract Farmland landscapes are recognized as important ecosystems, not only for their rich biodiversity but equally so for the human beings who live and work in these places. However, biodiversity varies among sites (spatial change) and among seasons (temporal change). In this work, we tested the hypothesis that bird diversity hotspots distribution for breeding is congruent with bird diversity hotspots for wintering season, focusing also the representation of protected areas for the conservation of local hotspots. We proposed a framework based on the use of species richness, functional diversity, and evolutionary distinctiveness to characterize avian communities. Although our findings show that the spatial distribution of local bird hotspots differed slightly between seasons, the protected areas’ representation was similar in both seasons. Protected areas covered 65% of the most important zones for breeding and 71% for the wintering season in the farmland studied. Functional diversity showed similar patterns as did bird species richness, but this measure can be most effective for highlighting differences on bird community composition. Evolutionary distinctiveness was less congruent with species richness and functional diversity, among seasons. Our findings suggest that inter-seasonal spatial congruence of local hotspots can be considered as suitable areas upon which to concentrate greater conservation efforts. However, even considering the relative congruence of avian diversity metrics at a local spatial scale, simultaneous analysis of protected areas while inter-seasonally considering hotspots, can provide a more complete representation of ecosystems for assessing the conservation status and designating priority areas.

Hollow-using vertebrate fauna of Tasmania: distribution, hollow requirements and conservation status

2008 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amelia J. Koch ◽  
Sarah A. Munks ◽  
Eric J. Woehler
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Status ◽  
National Level ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
The State ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Considerable Proportion ◽  
Vertebrate Fauna ◽  
Number Of Species ◽  
Arboreal Marsupials ◽  
Regional Forest

In Tasmania, a considerable proportion of the forested landscape is available for land clearance and production forestry, which has and will continue to result in a decline in hollow availability unless managed appropriately. All hollow-using species are listed as having priority status under the Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement. To ensure the habitat for hollow-using fauna is managed effectively, we first have to understand the requirements of the species involved. This paper is a review of the distribution, hollow requirements and conservation status of the five species of arboreal marsupials, eight species of bats and 29 bird species that use hollows in Tasmania. The number of species that use hollows is lower than in many other areas of Australia, but these species represent a large proportion of the vertebrate fauna of Tasmania. Three of these species and nine subspecies are endemic to Tasmania and seven are exotic. Four bird species are listed as Threatened at the state and/or national level. Twenty-five of Tasmania’s hollow-using species are capable of using small hollows, 14 can use medium-sized hollows and three bird species are limited to using large hollows. Current records indicate that the highest diversity of hollow-using species is associated with dry forest areas.

scholarly journals Altitudinal patterns in breeding bird species richness and density in relation to climate, habitat heterogeneity, and migration influence in South Korea

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-Yong Kim ◽  
Sanghun Lee ◽  
Man-Seok Shin ◽  
Chang-Hoon Lee ◽  
Changwan Seo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Habitat Heterogeneity ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Spring Temperature ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Main Driver ◽  
And Migration

Altitudinal patterns in the population ecology of mountain bird species are useful for predicting species occurrence and behavior. Numerous hypotheses about the complex interactions among environmental factors have been proposed; however, these remain controversial. This study investigated the causes of altitudinal patterns in breeding bird species richness and density in relation to climate, habitat heterogeneity, and migration influence in Jirisan National Park, South Korea. We conducted a field survey of 142 plots at altitudes between 200 and 1400 m above mean sea level in the breeding season. A total of 2771 individuals from 53 breeding bird species were recorded. Altitudinal patterns of species richness and density showed a hump-shaped pattern, indicating that the highest richness and density could be observed at moderate altitudes. Models constructed with 16 combinations of six variables demonstrated that species richness was positively correlated with vertical and horizontal habitat heterogeneity, and that density was positively correlated with vertical, but not horizontal, habitat heterogeneity, and negatively correlated with migrant rate. No significant relationships were found between spring temperature and species richness or density. Therefore, the observed patterns in species richness support the hypothesis that habitat heterogeneity, rather than climate, is the main driver of species richness. And neither habitat heterogeneity nor climate hypotheses fully explains the observed patterns in density. However, vertical habitat heterogeneity does likely help explain observed patterns in density. The heterospecific attraction hypothesis did not apply to the distribution of birds along the altitudinal gradient. Appropriate management of vertical habitat heterogeneity, such as vegetation cover, should be maintained for the conservation of bird diversity in this area.

scholarly journals A protocol to evaluate the potential of protected areas for birdwatching tourism: a study case in the Brazilian Amazon

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Antônio de Andrade Plácido ◽  
Sérgio Henrique Borges ◽  
Edson Guilherme da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Preliminary Analysis ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Brazilian Amazon ◽  
The State ◽  
Southwestern Part ◽  
Simple Protocol ◽  
Study Case ◽  
Health Support

Birdwatching is a growing segment of ecotourism and South America’s protected areas have an enormous potential to contribute to the development of this activity. We present a simple protocol to assess the potential of protected areas to attract and receive birdwatchers. The protocol is based on the application of raw scores using the following criteria: i) potential of local avifauna to attract birdwatchers, ii) logistic facilities of the protected area, and iii) services for accommodation, communication, health support and transport available in the municipality/ies located near the protected area. The protocol was applied in a protected area located in the State of Acre, in the southwestern part of the Brazilian Amazon. Thirty bird species (11% of avifauna) achieved the highest level of attractiveness for birdwatchers. The protected area and its neighboring municipalities show median capacity for hosting birdwatchers. The application of the protocol in other protected areas will be necessary to improve its applicability. The method, however, could be useful for a preliminary analysis of the birdwatching potential of protected areas.

scholarly journals Multiscale effects of wetland availability and matrix composition on wetland breeding birds in Minnesota, USA

The Condor ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah P Saunders ◽  
Kristin A L Hall ◽  
Nina Hill ◽  
Nicole L Michel
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Scale ◽  
Habitat Management ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Matrix Composition ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Bird Conservation ◽  
Prairie Pothole ◽  
Imperfect Detection ◽  
Matrix Habitat

Abstract The increasing intensity of wetland stressors in the Upper Midwestern United States hastens the need to understand how matrix composition influences wetland bird occurrence and abundance. The optimal spatial scale for assessing species–habitat relationships is not always apparent, but may affect inference about wetland use and suitability. We developed occupancy and abundance models, accounting for imperfect detection, for 9 wetland bird species breeding in Minnesota. We evaluated land cover associations at 3 spatial scales (12.6 ha, 50.3 ha, and 4,000 ha), quantified species-specific sensitivity to wetland availability and matrix habitat composition (agricultural and developed land covers), and assessed ecoregional variation in occupancy and abundance. Amount of wetland cover was positively associated with occupancy of 89% of species and with abundance of 67% of species, but the spatial scale of support differed among species. American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), and Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata) in particular were negatively impacted by anthropogenic land uses within the surrounding matrix, indicating a need to shift wetland conservation planning from the site scale to the landscape scale to capture pertinent drivers of wetland bird habitat use. Mean expected occupancy across all species was greatest in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), suggesting that restoration efforts within this ecoregion are likely to maintain wetland bird diversity. However, given the minimal total wetland availability and predominantly agricultural matrix in the PPR, protecting wetlands and upland buffers in the Aspen Parklands or Boreal ecoregions may represent a better investment for agricultural-sensitive species such as American Bittern, Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis), and Wilson’s Snipe. Our modeling approach provides a multi-species framework for identifying habitat management priorities; future applications at broader spatial extents can continue to improve wetland bird conservation in a region with high rates of wetland loss and degradation.

The importance of Vu Quang Nature Reserve, Vietnam, for bird conservation, in the context of the Annamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area

2001 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 247-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Eames ◽  
R. Eve ◽  
A. W. Tordoff
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Present Species ◽  
Bird Conservation ◽  
Conservation Priority ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Species Lists ◽  
Complementarity Analysis

Vu Quang Nature Reserve, Vietnam, was brought to the attention of the world scientific community following the discovery of two previously undescribed large mammal species in the early 1990s. In light of the identification of other sites of high biodiversity value in the Annamite mountains of Vietnam and Laos, the relative importance for biodiversity conservation of Vu Quang needs to be reassessed. In this paper we evaluate the importance of the site for bird conservation, in relation to 13 other protected areas in the Annamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area (EBA) and present species lists for all 14 sites. Whilst Vu Quang supports one of the highest numbers of recorded bird species of all 14 protected areas, a complementarity analysis revealed that Vu Quang does not fall within the critical subset of sites necessary to conserve 95% of the avifaunal diversity of the EBA. The site should not, therefore, be considered a regional bird conservation priority. Furthermore, of the nine restricted-range species known from the Annamese Lowlands EBA, only three are known from Vu Quang, which is not, therefore, a priority site for the conservation of endemic bird species. We also evaluate the conservation status of the avifauna of Vu Quang, and propose potential conservation measures to enhance its importance for bird conservation.

scholarly journals Representativeness of terrestrial ecosystems in Chile's protected area system

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
PATRICIO PLISCOFF ◽  
TARYN FUENTES-CASTILLO
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
National Level ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Coastal Forests ◽  
The North ◽  
Private Protected Areas ◽  
National Heritage ◽  
Steppe Ecosystems ◽  
Sclerophyllous Forests

SUMMARYBecause protected areas are a major means of conservation, the extent to which ecosystems are represented under different protection regimes needs to be ascertained. A gap analysis approach was used to assess the representativeness of Chile's terrestrial ecosystems in differing kinds of protected areas. Terrestrial ecosystems were described in terms of potential vegetation, employing three protection scenarios. Scenario 1 was based exclusively on the Chilean National System of Protected Wild Areas (SNASPE). Scenario 2 included all types of public protected areas, namely SNASPE, nature sanctuaries and Ministry of National Heritage lands. Scenario 3 included all items in Scenario 2, but also included private protected areas and biodiversity priority sites. There is insufficient protection of terrestrial ecosystems under the Scenario 2. In addition to the low level of ecosystem protection provided by state protected areas (only 42 of the 127 terrestrial ecosystems had >10% of their area protected), 23 terrestrial ecosystems were identified as having no protection at the national level. Gaps in protection were concentrated in the North (both coastal and inland desertic scrub), Central (thorny scrub, thorny forests, sclerophyllous forests and deciduous coastal forests) and Austral (steppe ecosystems) regions of Chile. These gaps include ecosystems that are of global conservation importance.

scholarly journals Conserving native trees increases native bird diversity and community composition on commercial office developments

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Dyson
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Community ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Bird Conservation ◽  
Tree Protection ◽  
Matrix Habitat ◽  
Site Use

Abstract In cities, woody vegetation provides critical shelter, nesting and foraging habitat for bird species of interest. Human actions—including development and landscaping choices—determine vegetation community composition and structure, making these choices critically important to urban bird conservation. A better understanding of how bird communities are impacted by parcel-scale actions can help guide policy and management best practices to improve matrix habitat quality and quantity. Here, I examined how bird habitat use varies along a vegetation gradient created by different development and landscaping choices. I surveyed 20 commercial office developments near Seattle in the Puget Trough region of Washington, USA selected using stratified random sampling, where I quantified bird communities and observed feeding behavior. I used GLMM and PERMANOVA models with data likelihood metrics to identify the best supported variables for bird site use, along with TITAN models to identify changes in community composition along environmental gradients. I found that measures of bird effective species richness and bird community are positively influenced by the presence of more native conifers, including the presence of a stand predating development and the height and density of native conifers. Measures of the native bird community are negatively influenced by higher non-native tree density. In contrast to prior research, top-down landscape-scale variables did not explain variation in measures of the bird community on office developments. Importantly, I found that birds are associated with the same habitat on office developments as observed elsewhere. Together, my findings suggest an important role for developers, land owners, landscape architects, and tree protection policy in bird conservation.

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